Clinical study of therapeutic ocular surface medium for persistent epithelial defect

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Ocular Surface Disease

Background:

• Persistent epithelial defects (PED) pose a significant clinical challenge.
• Conventional treatments for PED often have limited efficacy.
• Autologous serum has been used but faces manufacturing and availability limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of therapeutic ocular surface medium (TOSM) as a novel physiological tear replacement therapy.
• To investigate TOSM as a treatment option for patients with persistent epithelial defects (PED).

Main Methods:

• A prospective pilot study involving 10 patients (11 eyes) with PED lasting at least 2 weeks.
• Treatment with TOSM was administered over a 1-month period.
• Patients were monitored for PED healing and adverse events.

Main Results:

• Complete healing of PED was observed in 3 out of 11 eyes within 4 weeks.
• Two additional eyes showed near-complete healing (PED area ≤ 0.5 mm²).
• Significant reduction in PED area occurred in 4 eyes; no serious adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions:

• TOSM demonstrates potential as a novel physiological therapy for persistent epithelial defects.
• TOSM offers advantages over autologous serum due to its potential for easy manufacturing and widespread availability.
• Further research is warranted to confirm the therapeutic benefits of TOSM for PED.